TESTIMONY

Pastor Roy Clements Testimony

What’s life all about? Why are we here? What’s missing in my life? These are the questions I was asking myself in the spring of 1986. I had tried all that the world had to offer, drinking, drugs and nightclubs, but nothing could satisfy me. Each day I would want something more, but nothing could fill this void in my life.

During this time I was invited to a gospel rally in a nearby church. The people taking the meetings were Bible students from America. They were the first real Christians I had any contact with. I had known many people who went to church, but none that were really born again, none that could say that they knew for sure that they would go to Heaven when they died. The Christians I met knew for certain that they would go to Heaven when they died. They did not say that they had earned it or that they were good enough, but that they simply put their trust in Jesus.

As I attended the gospel rally and spoke to these Christians. I found out that they had a personal relationship with Jesus and peace with God through Him. They had real peace in their lives and they had a joy that filled them, but this peace and joy did not depend on the people or the circumstances around them. It came from within them. I knew that I did not have this in my life nor did I know how to get it. Until this point in my life no one had ever told me that I needed to be born again, and that without being born again I would spend eternity in Hell under the judgement of a righteous and Holy God, or that God loved me enough to send His only Son Jesus Christ, to die in my place on Calvary’s cross.

Although I had attended these meetings and heard how Jesus had died for my sins to save from Hell, no one told me how to get saved or how to have peace with God. They did not have to convince me that I was a sinner. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

I knew in my heart that I had sinned, therefore I could not get to Heaven by myself. I had fallen short of God’s requirements to get into Heaven. When the meetings were over and the Americans had gone home, my desire to get right with God was still there, but I still did not know how to get saved. Then someone gave me a booklet called “Just Grace.” I took the booklet home, put it beside my bed, and forgot all about it. Then on Sunday morning the 31st of August 1986, I picked up the booklet and read it. It was as though someone had turned on a light. I read how Jesus, the very Son of God, had died on Calvary’s cross to set me free from sin and the fear of death, and be with him forever for time and eternity in heaven.

Then came the crunch! What had I to do to receive this gift of salvation that God was willing to give me? The answer was simple. All I had to do was to sincerely admit to Him that I was a sinner, repent of my sins (turn from them and turn to Christ) and ask Him to forgive me of my sins and to save me. I closed my eyes and said that simple prayer sincerely from my heart. There were no flashing lights, no Heavenly choir’s, no voices from Heaven, but there was a peace in my heart from that day. The fear of death had gone and a new life had begun. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Friends, this new life in Jesus Christ is not just for a select few. It is for the whole world.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”Eternal life is there for the asking. All you have to do is to confess your need of the Saviour and call upon the name of the LORD to save you, Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In January 1994 the Lord called me into the Gospel ministry. God clearly spoke to my heart that I needed to be trained for ministry. As to what kind of ministry and where, I did not know at the time. After the service, I spoke to Pastor Moore about what I had felt the Lord impress on my heart. Pastor Moore said that he would begin to train me himself.

Soon after, we began to study Systematic Theology together covering many of the fundamental doctrines. During our study together, the opportunity arose for me to attend the Dublin Baptist Bible Institute in the Autumn of that year. My desire was and is not only to see people saved but also to see them grounded in the faith and to grow in the Lord producing fruit for Him. I graduated from the Dublin Baptist Bible Institute on the 31st of May 1997. After graduation, I worked closely with Pastor Moore at Braehill Baptist Church, being involved in all aspects of pastoral ministry.

From the time of attending the Bible Institute, we had earnestly sought the Lord as where he would have us to be. It was in the Summer of 1998, that I received a call from Pastor Bill Carter. He was a missionary in England for the past twenty years. He was looking for someone to take over the work in England. Soon after, Bill came to visit with us in Belfast. We discussed many aspects of the ministry there and the spiritual need of England. A few weeks later, we visited England (Surrey for one week). We came back with a great burden for the people. There were so many who had not heard the Gospel, yet no one was telling them. There are many Churches but they do not preach the Gospel. The statistics of (Church going people of any denomination) compared to N. Ireland shocked me, in N. Ireland over 50% go to some sort of Church or another, but in Surrey this drops to less than 5%. Watching the people here who are caught up in a materialistic world was shocking. The things of God and eternity were far from their thoughts.

In the Autumn of 1998, the members of Emmanuel Baptist Church, extended a call for me to come and assume the role of assistant pastor with the view to soon taking over the ministry. We had no hesitation accepting this call as the Lord had burdened our hearts for what is rightly called Pagan England. This was confirmed as the Lord met every need and opened every door, and by the January of 1999, we were here in England. We could not wait until we had raised full support; we felt we needed to go as soon as possible. If ever a nation needed to hear the gospel it is England, they have a great heritage in the gospel and in missions, but how the mighty have fallen. This is now a very needy mission field. We worked with Bro, Carter, for one year, and then for a year as Acting Pastor. On Wednesday 14th February 2001, the congregation of Emmanuel Baptist Church voted to call me as their Pastor. We have faced many challenges, but God has blessed. We look forward to what God will do in this place for His own glory.

Friend I wonder, will you call upon the name of the LORD today to save you, while you still have opportunity and before it is eternally too late? Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” John 6:37 “…and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”